r
II 1 1 lUlli
B. F. SCHWEIER,
THE GOISTITTITIOI-THE UHOI-AID THE EHT0E0E1CEIT OP THE LAW8.
Editor and Proprietor-
VOL. XXXIY.
MIFFLINTOWN, JUNIATA COUNTY. PENNA., WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1880.
NO. 47.
1
if-
LOTE IT HOSE.
There ia beauty all around ,
When there's lore at home ;
There ia Joy in every sound
When there's lore at home.
Peace and plenty here abide.
Smiling sweet on every aide.
Time doth eoftly, sweetly Klide,
When there's lore at heme.
In the cottage there ia Joy,
When there's love at home ;
Hate and enry ne'er annoy.
When there' lore at home.
Roses blossom 'Death oar feet.
All the earth's a garden sweet.
Making life a bliss complete.
When there's lore at home.
Kindly heaven smiles shore.
When there's lore at heme ;
All the earth ia filled with lore.
When there's lore at home.
Sweeter sings the brooklet by.
Brighter beams the ax ore sky ;
Oh. there's One who smiles on high ;
When there's love at home.
Villainy Unmasked-
The nature of my profession brings me
in contact with every deccnpUon of person.
I have formed through its agency many
pleasant acquaintanceships, to wliich my
memory often reverts with pleasure. Some
years ago, 1 became acquainted with a Mr.
Norval, wealthy merchant, who resided
in West Fortieth street, lie was a widower.
and the only persons living with him were
two in number, a niece and an only son.
Mary Norval, his niece, was a beautiful
girl, about 80 years of age when I first be
came acquainted with her. bbe was tall.
and gracefully formed. Her hair was dark
brown, and her eyes a heavenly blue
shrouded with long eyelashes, which gave
a dreamy expression to her lovely, oval
face. Her complexion was white as the
driven snow, and ber form was gracefully
rounded, lier neck and shoulders might
have served for a model for a sculptor,
they were so exquisitively chiseled. When
she moved it was with that undulating
grace so charming in the other sex.
Such was Mary Norval when I flr3t
knew her. Had I not been married and
possessed of the best wife in the world,
she would have been just the woman I
would have chosen for a wife, for her
natural disposition, the cultivation of her
mind, and the amiability of her character,
fully equalled her physical beauty. She
had so won upon her uncle's heart that he
loved ber better than he did his own son.
This, however, might be accounted for
from the fact that Charles Norval was a
most dissipated young man. lie had long
ago exhausted his father's afection for him
by a dissolute life and was only permitted
by sufferance to be an inmate of his house.
One day Mr. George .Nerval invited me
to dine with him, I accepted the invitation,
and we passed a very agreeable hour to
gether at the social meaL After dinner.
being somewhat of an invalid, my host ex
cused himself for an hour while he want to
lie down. I amused myself in the mean
time examining some illustrated works
d laced on the drawing-room table. The
apartment in which I was seated was only
separated from an adjoining one by folding
doors. I should have stated that Miss
.Notts! had also excused herself, under the
plea of having some letters to write. Left
alone to my reflections, I fell into a
reverie, which, I suppose ended in a doze,
tor I was suddenly awakened to conscious
ness by the sound of voices in the adjoining
apartment. The evening was somewhat
advanced, and consequently the noise in
the street had almost entirely ceased.
Owing to this tact I heard distinctly every
word that was said. It was Mr. Nerval's
son Charles's voice that awakened me.
"Mary, listen to me," be exclaimed with
a peculiar thick utterance which showed
that he had been drinking: "you know I
love you. Yes, dear girt. 1 adore the very
ground you walk on. Your beauty is so
mnawnHont that vou anDetr more like a
lairy creature of the brain than a human
'Have done with your senseless compli
ments, Charles," returned Mary. "Why
in vou nersecute me so? I bave already
mA known bit decision to you. It is ir-
rwr irlri. do cot tav that. Oh, if you
did but know how deeply your image is
ncrrwHn nn niv bcait! My very thought
is for you; every pulse of my heart beats
foryou--angel--mUeonmeI"
Charles, you are intoxicated, How
dare you express yourself to me in this
manner?" . , .
"Ilearwit cousin. I adore you, ana Dy
II.vn vnn shall be mine!"
I nitv vour condition, and I beg, sir,
-nil lv niv nresence."
-Never, my charming cousin, until you
. tht vou love me. I would sell my
i r. An. kiBK from those ruby lips.
could sit all day and gaze wonderingly into
Innu. crl.trioUS OrbS. DeaTeM uaruuft
i. i.. uan h mine be mine!'
It was evident the young man was work
ins; himself into a passion of frenzy.
-Air. Nerval, unless yon leave the room
I wid call for assistant,'
iv- ohoii not. It is true that you
have supplanted me in my fUer love.
1 is true hat he has left you the bulk of
his fortune, whUe be ha. bwed a misera
ble pittance on me. Not content with
having effected all th you tajp mr
loye but oy uie grew, wv
ke min'
J . .m wr the rustling of a silk dress,
-r- - .., Uarv bad arisen
Mary, you snau n - j,
., j .i.- vin man. 1 repa it.
continual mo j" a -. , - . to
you shall be mine. Dearest KV2
my heart-let me fold you to my breas
. . ...nMui scream now reacneu
-h toward her. -"fold
jUgll wuiv
i lime w iuiw- j 4nat
. oven ana iu
u-.7 the shrinking girl
saw me u"' -7 m he loosen-
TUTS.. V de exp
rt nen
lighted up
nis ieaiiu. - tM
from the room,
.k.binir UlS W w "'J
1 caught uw
as he maue me . k.ui
in mv arms and conveys -
restored
&" . fmatorauves
sofa. A iw -- ., u motaa ume
her to c:nousne, ' rg- the
before 1 could make ber believe tmu
danger was past. acquaint Mr.
1 tnougni -J tnaction, that
v,-oi with the w
B UUM '
t be adopted to P""
means m
Irecurrenceof thu, V About .
Nerval was icuu ----
month afur wis """-r i WB, detain
meto.aoutherncIty,wbeIi wees- .J.
r. New York, I received. J
Cd b - be entered the
"Brampton, mW too
room. I na' God, you
dozen Umes
. iAm at lastl
nav" . . .v- matter. BiT. '
"Why, wn " rr "j i want you
"I am in -t troubla. ana I
"Certainly. I know him well he i a'
particular friend of mine; but why do you
use the past tense!" j
"Are you aware that he Is dead?" !
"Ueadl Is it possible?"
"ea, he died yesterday. "
"Is there anr susnicioB conntml with
bis death?"
"None at all. he has lieen ailinir fnr
time. . lie died of disease of the heart. A
post-mortem examination has settled that
question satisfactorily. You are aware,
perhaps, that I was his lawyer, and you
also know the terms on which he lived
with his son. About three months ago
Mr. Norval sent for me to make his will.
As I have before said, he had been failing
in health for some time past, and did not
know how soon he might be called away
from this earthly scene.
'I drew up his will as be requested; by
its provisions Mary was made an heiress,
a small pension payable at certain intervals
being only left to his son. This will was
properly signed and attested."
'Excuse me for interrupting you," said
I. "but was Mr. Charles Norval cognizant
of the provisions of his father's wiiii"
"Not that I am aware of, but now you
come to mention it, I distinctly remember
at the time of witnessing it, a sudden
rustling was heard at one end of the apart
ment, and a door that opened into an ad
joining room was heard to close, but no
nrtice was taken of the circumstances at
the time."
'Exactly, that must have been the
young man who was listening, for I have
reason to know that he was aware of the
contents of his father's will."
And 1 then related the conversation I had
overheard between Mary and Charles Nor-
yaL
"This may be very important," said
M ' as soon as I had concluded: "but
let me conclude what I have to say. The
will 1 had drawn up was confided to my
care. 1 placed it in an en
velope and locked it up in my
private desk. The moment I heard of
his death, I opened my desk and took out
the envelope in which 1 had placed the
will. Judge of my surprise and horror
when I found it only contained a blank
sheet of paper!"
"A blank sheet of paperl The will had
been 'abstracted, thenf
"Exactly. When I made the discovery
I was completely thunderstruck. I could
neither speak nor act. 1 sank down into a
seat utterly prostrated both in body and
mind. After a little time I somewhat re
covered my faculties, and then began to
turn over in my mind the best course for
me to pursue under the circumstances.
Fortunately I was alone."
"Do you suspect anyone!"
"I don't know whom to suspect. But
from the conversation you have related to
me, it is very probable that Charles Norval
has something to do with it. 'But still it
is utterly impossible that he could have ob
tained access to my private office and
desk."
'I have three clerks, and they all enjoy
my most implicit confidence. In the first
place none of them knew the will was
there. They have been with me many
years, and I cannot entertain the slight
est suspicion against them. long
intercouose with the world has taught
me, however, to be cautious, and 1 deter
mined to keep my own counsel, so I have
not mentioned the fact to them at alL I
closed and locked my desk aain, and went
about my business as usual.
You did quite right. Ind the desc
show any evidence of h ving been looked
into?"
"Not the least in the world. hoever
entered it, must have possessed a duplicate
And you have no reason to suspcci
your clerks since!"
- .. . . . . i i
"No when they enterea i waicneu
them narrowly, but could not detect any
evidence of guilt in their manner. 1 men
determined that 1 would apply to you,
BramDton. I assure you 1 have eaten
nnthinir since the fatal discovery. The
thought that Mary Norval will oe reaucea
to penury is horrible to me."
Leave the matter In my bands, I will
do what I can. If the will is not already
destroyed, 1 trust I shall be able to restore
K to you."
Jl took bis leave, l men miew
myself back in my easy chair and tortured
my mind for some means to discover the
missing will. I formed half a dozen dif
ferent plans, hut was at a loss to snow
which to adopt, for the case was in vol vol
in much difficulty. W hile I was thus en
gaged, my eye fell upon a copy of the
New York Herald which lay on my desk.
I mechanically took it np, without, how
ever, intending to read it. My eyes rested
on a column of advertisement.. Suddenly
they were arrested by the following, under
the head of "Personal"
"A strong will can overcome every ob
stacle. Eight o clock to-night. Xve ana
joy await you!"
1 slarieu irom my cuair nac u-c in
of his senses. A sentiment which l can
never explain told me that I had found a
clue. The mysterious advertisement seem
ed to me as plain as daylight. "A strong
will can overcome every obstacle." evi-
dentlv referred to the missing aocumem.
"Eight o clock to-nignt," was me umc -p-
nninted for a rendezvous. "Love and joy
await you," meant that the place of meet
ing was to be Lovcjoy's hotel."
t -- wrv niucn Dieaseu with this dis
covery, for besides my wish to oblige M
1 really felt a great esteem ior im j
while on the other nanu i anew ua
to be a worthless young man. 1 felt per
fectly certain that he was at me uonoui oi
the conspiracy, and that he had in aU
probability bribea one of M ' clerks.
1 almost fancied that 1 had the wUl again
in my possession, and I pictured to myself
'g joy at recovering it again from
my bands. My mind was immediately
made up what to do. I determined that I
would visit Lovejoy's hotel, and 1 present
at the interview,"
1 sat and watched the ekek until the
hour should arrive. How slwly the Ume
nassedl At last the hour pointed to 7.80.
froee up, put on my overcoat, and depart
rfon my errand. It was a bitter cold
winter's night. The snow was drifting
directly in my face, but still I pressed on.
, Vhrrl the hotel and entered one
ri.t. minner rooms. These rooms
Oiuret"" ' , t bnnva.
everv irequenier oi "-j-j - - --
j i-i htr a thin Dartition from
each other, so that a convenu
on in the adjoining f""- r
attentive listeners, be overheard. 1 or-
rioiwi mv supper, auu v "
ft? I keii my ears open. Some time
eat it, 1 kel m.rT "'hi me. At last
nassed ana no souuu - - - -?eardtheso.ndofa
door shutting, and
1 neara ui mv right;
one person ; -.
leminutea 0-
.K .mnr shut, -inenrsip-""
, .w I crept cauuousij
o the paJtiUon- and fixed iy ear to it,
to.t..?.PLi - exclaimed a voice which
-oil. . . , :H
I did not recognize,
A mux
to see
I assure you, Mr. Mills, 1
am
AUU
ad
wertisement in
here in consequence.
JI ' confi-
dential clerk. The other peaker was of
course Charles NorvaL
Yes, 1 worded it as agreed." continued
the clerk. "1 was almost afraid, however,
you might have forgotten it, and feared it
would be too obscure. But it was neces
sary, you know, to blind other's eyes."
0. yes. I understand all about that.
When did you get hold of the precious
document?"
Only yesterday. You know he had
left the w:U in his private desk, and it was
only by chance that 1 obtained the key.
The moment I did so, I seized the docu
ment, and put in its place a piece of blank
paper."
Do you think he has discovered the loss
yet?"
"Oh, no; I am certain he his not. 1
have watched him well all day."
elL then,- now to business, said young
Norval "flow much do you want for the
will?"
'It is a very valuable paper. Mr. Nor
val," replied the villainous clerk. "I sup
pose you know its provisions?"
"Ob, yes; 1 overheard M read the
paper after he had drawn it up. 1 know
that father has left cousin Mary everything,
while on me, his lawful heir, he has only
settled a miserable pension. When that
document is burned, I will bring ber
haughty spirit down. She will cringe and
fawn on me then. But come, what am 1
to give you for it?"
You shall give me your note of hand
for $5,UU0. payable when you come into
the property."
, Agreed agreed! Here, I will write
it on the spot."
1 could hear them arranging some papers
on the table. I cautiously left the apart
ment, and crept noiselessly to the door of
the room where this worthy pair were
seated. I applied my eye to the keyhole
and saw that Norval was in the act of
writing a promissory note. This done, he
handed it to the Clerk, who after exam
ining it. placed it carefully in his pocket
book, lie then drew out the will and
handed it to NorvaL The latter eage.lv
perused it, a smile of gratification over
spreading his features.
"Now," said he, "my fair cousin Mary,
you are in my power, and by heavens, 1
will teach you how to love me. So, so, you
are a beggar now, and 1 am the wealthy
Mr. NorvaL They say money can buy
anything. I will see if it cannot buy your
smiles. But 1 will not marry you; that
idea has passed. To the fire, then, 1 com
mit the only thing between me and my
rightful property."
So saying, he placed his hands on the
will in order to cast it into the flames, bat
at that mouien. 1 burst into the room and j
pinned the legal document to the takle
wiia my hand. My motion was so rapid,
that the two conspirators must bave thought
that it was something supernatural.
"Bold!' I exclaimed in a loud voice;
"your villaiuy is not yet perpetrated."
I shall never forget the look of horror re
vealed on the countenances of the I wo vil
lains 1 quietly folded up the will and
transferred it to my pocket. M 's
clerk rusAed from the room, and from that
day to this 1 have not seen him. 1 have
heard, however, that he is in Austialia.
Young Norval was completely crestfallen,
and left my presence without uttering a
word. That same night 1 restored the
w ill to Mr. M 's possession, and the
delight with which he received it was be
yond all bounds.
Mary Norval had no difficulty whatever,
in proving her right to the property; in
fact there was no oue t3 dispute it. It
was her desire that her cousin should not
be prosecuted for the part he had taken In
the nefarious transaction. She increased
his allowance to double the amount that
had been left hiiu bv his futuer. lie did
not live long, however, to enjoy it, for he !
died of delinum tremens a year after his
father's death. Mary was soon after mar
ried to a wealthy Bostonian. I bad the
pleasure to be at her wedding. She is now
the mother of a happy family, and beloved
by all who k-jew her in her new home.
M was so well pleased with my share
of the transaction that he became a staunch
friend ot mine, and materially increased
mv business bv recommending me to all
in" want of the services of a good detective
officer.
Am Inextlncuiihable Fire.
Accounts bave oeen published from time
to time of the fire in the Keely Kuu Col
liery, near Shenandoah, I'a. No on
Knows how it originated, but the general
impression seems to be that it was caused
by spontaneous combustion. How to ex
tinguish it is a problem difficult to solve,
owing, to the mines being h igher than com
municating colleries, thereby making it
impossible to drown it out. A Pittsburg
firm, Messrs. Campbell & Connelly, offered
to smother the flames for about $25,000.
They proposed to do the work with car
bolic acid gas and nitrogen. Miners and
superintendents advised the colliery own
ers to have nothing to do with to wild a
scheme. The necessity of doing some
thing, and the confident assurances of the
Pittsburg firm, who offered to forfeit &0
a day for all the time that the fire should
burn after thirty days from the date of
their contract, caused the mine owners to
accept the proposition. The gas men built
a large furnace and began operations. So
far they bave had no success. 1 be part ol
the mine reached by the fire has been
closed up. It is estimated that the space
enclosed will hold 12,000,000 cubic feet of
gas. The Pittsburg firm declare that near
ly half that quantity is torced into it every
twenty-four hours, but it has had no effect
upon the fire. The firm has already
forfeited nearlv fio.ooo oy me aoiay, auu
do not seem to know what now to do.
Ran Klephsota.
There are now on exhibition in New
York two peculiar elephants brought from
the mountains of the Malay peninsula,
about bOO miles from Singapore. They are
remarkable for their small size, being re
spectively tweniy-eight and thirty -six inches
tall; and being covered wnn amies, cow ui
bristly hair or wooL They are supposed
to be from five to seven years old. in size
they resemble the extinct elephant, of
Malta, and in covering, those of Siberia,
Their woolly coat is attributed to the cir
cumstance that they live high upoa the
mountains where the climate is cold. The
species appears to be all but unknown to
naturalists, this pair being the first that
have survived the passage through the
heated low country to the coast and the
subsequent journey by sea. The sailors on
the steamer which brought them named
them Prince and Sidney. They are de
scribed as playful and harmless, and they
keep their little trunks stretched out to
strangers to be petted. They love to be
scratched on the under side of the trunk
close to the mouth, and they hold their
trunks curled back over their heads as long
as any one scratches them. Like elephant
of larger growth, they keep up a swaying
motion, either side wise or lorward and
backward. When a visitor lets one of the
litte fellows take his hand he delicately
curls his proboscis around it and tarries it
gently to his mouth. Theu he trumpets
his satisfaction.
Color Bllwdeees lu Drains.
While the attention of scientiflic experts
is being called to this subject, in reference
to railroad employes and all persons con
cerned in the distinguishing of colored
lights and signals, as connected with the
necessary precaution in the protection of
human life in traveling, it might not be
deemed an undesirable opportunity for us
to call the attention of our special com
munity to the immediate beariDg .which
this defectiveness of vision has on operative
dyers. It will readily be granted that no
artitan has more necessity for extreme
nicety of occular discernment in shades of
color than the one whose whole occupation
is among them ; and that on the critical
truthfulness of bis vision depends the accu
rate production and reproduction of tints,
which to fail in would cost serious sums
to his employer. Color blindness, in the
full meaning of the term. Is not likely to
exist among dyers, but it is no: only likely,
but very possible to produce at least some
of the effects by the changing of colors ;
that is to say, the workman who has his
eyes engaged constantly on a red, for in
stance, if put on to a green may find him
self in trouble, and so on through various
colors. Now, as to tint shades, is it not
very evident that the impression received
on the eye by looking on one tint continu
ally will incapacitate the sight f r the
perception of that color! and yet extreme
accuracy is demanded. Let a dyer work
ing on a red for some time have his attention
turned to a blue, and will he not at first
see a purple ! Most certainly, because the
visual rays are fraught with red, and when
brought to bear upon the blue, blend with
it, at first strongly, and gradually there
after. All have not been gifted alike ; it
is evident that with some workmen this
affection may be still more injurious than
with o hers. Those of bilious tempera
ment are subject to a yellowish influence
on the vision, which must of necessity
prove fatal to the truth of observation in
color. There is no sense more exquisitely
delicate than that of sight, and there is no
man more dependent on its ability than
the dyer. In taking up the trade of dye
ing the early learner knows nothing of the
nature ot his sight, but goes st it as though
it were plowing, or any other calling in
which the sensitiveness of the eye is not
called into requisition at alL But how im
portant is the constitution of the eye to
him who is engaged in a study of colors
which must be carried to the most minute
perfection. Now, how necessary is it that
an examination by a qualified expert should
decide on the healthy state of the eye be
fore the trade is chosen. And still fur
ther, how advisable is it that occasional
examination should be made by a doctor
of the eyes of every workman in the dye-
house, to decide whether there is any de
crease of visionary power, and to prescribe
the fitting treatment if there ia. Every
employer should consider this matter, and
see if his interest is not concerned in it ;
for the health of the eight of a good, faith
ful man is as much their concern as the
bodily health is his. While on this sub
ject w e may as well suggest the very sim
ple practice to testers of colors ot having a
purely white material as a plain on which
to rest the sight when alternately viewing
colors ; by this means the eye is enabled to
ake in the succeeding tint without any in
fluence from the former one.
Taw Temple ef Marriage.
A slice of bride-cake under my pillow
gave occasion to the following dream: A
spacious building was crowded with a va
riety of persons; and upon inquiry I was
toid it was 'the temple of marriage,' and
that every one, who had an inclination to
sacrifice to that deity, was invited to ap
proach a large altar, which was covered
with a great n umbel of cakes or various
shapes and sizes. Some were molded into
the form of hearts; others into true-lover's
knots; some were stuck about with sweet
meats ; some wtre stamped with coronets,
or embellished with glitteriug toys. All
were a! It wed to choose for themselves, and
I'lutus and Cupid were busily employed in
the distribution,
A young couple advanced and, applying
! to Cupid, desired him to reach the double
j heart pierced through with darts ; but just
as they were going to share It a crabbed old
fellow broke the cake and obliged the girl
to take the figure of a fine gentleman in
gilt gingerbread.
An old fellow of sixty came towards the
altar and petitioned Cupid for a cake of the
most elegant form and sweetest ingredient.
The little god at first repulsed him, but after
wards sold it to him for a large sum ol
money. An ancient lady came tottering
to the altar supported by a young fellow in
a red coat with a stale cake, marked with
the word Jointure, in golden capitals.
A rich, rusty bachelor then came Dust-
ling through the crowd, accompanied by a
red-cheeked country girl of nineteen. They
reached for the cakes marked Riches and
Beauty.
There now advanced a maiden lady who
seized by the hand a young ensign of the
guards and carried him the to altar. She
seized a cake and divided it with hergallant,
but too late discovered that her half was
signed "Polly" and his share was marked
"Aversion."
A little Deri miss ran briskly up to Cupid,
a cake she must and would have. She had
just stretched out her band to receive one
wbonrber mamma interposeu,Beni uieouiu
blubbering to school and carried the cake
off herself.
A woman, fantastically dressed then
burst into the temple. S..e could get no
favor of either Plutos or Cupid ; furious
with rage she seized upon the nearest vic
tim, which happened to be myself. The
The least crumb was disagreeable and
awaked me, with the nauseous taste still
in my mouth.
Sixty Mites a Minute os a Tin Fan.
Arthur tzpatnek, who returned from
Colorado a short time ago, gives the.follow
ing account ot an occurrence in the mining
districts of which he was an eye-witness:
"A miner and some companions were cross
ing the Continental divide when it was
covered with mow. Three miles below
them, down a decline of foity-five degrees,
deeply covered with frozen snow, lay the
spot tbey desired to reach, while to go
round by trail was fifteen miles. The
miner took a tin pan, used for washing gold,
spread his blanket over it, got in himself,
in a sauatting position on his haunches,
tucked the blanket around, held bis rifle
and other traps over his head and got one
of his companions to give him a push. He
Informed me be went down at the speed of
sixty miles a mrnute, and shot far out into
the valley at the foot of the mountain.
When he stooped be found the soldering
of the pan melted from friction, his blanket
on fire and it was bis impression that baa
be gone much further he would have been
burned up, together with all his traps.
Fifteen factories in thi. country
turn out 600 tons of glucose daily.
Parts has 21 theatres and 100 con
cert saloous.
Work has been begun on New
York's $1,000,000 hotel.
A rotated Reminder.
A party of adventurous lads, myself
among the number, were out for a glorious
holiday. Each had his canvas bag acrous
his shoulder, and we stole along the stone
wall yonder, and entered the woods be
neath that group ot chestnuts. Two of us
acted as outposts on picket guard, and
another, young Teddy Shoopegg by name,
the best climber in the village, did the
shaking. Theie were five busy pairs of
hands beneath these trees, I can tell you,
for each one of us fully realized the necessi
ty of making the most of his time, not
knowing how soon the warning cry from
our outposts might put us all to headlong
flight, for the alarm, "Turner s coming!"
was enough to lift the hair of any boy in
town.
But luck seemed to favor us on that day.
We "cleaned out" six big chestnut-trees,
and then turned our attention to the h.ck
ories. There was a splendid tall shell bark
close by, with branches fairly loaded w ith
the white nuts in their open shucks. They
were all ready to drop, and when the shak
ing once commenced, the nuts came down
like a shower of hail, bounding from the
rocks, rattling among the dry leaves, and
keeping up a clatter all around. We scram
bled on all fours, and gathered them by
quarts and quarts. There was no need of
poking over the leaves for them, the ground
was covered with their bleached shells, all
in plain sight. While busily engaged, we
noticed an ominous lull among the branch?:
overhead.
"'Sstt'sstI" whipercd Shoopegg up
above; "l see old Turner on his white
horse daown the road yonder."
'Coming this way !" also in a whisper,
from below.
"I dunno yit, but I jest guess you'd bet
ter begittin' reddy to leg it,fer lie's hitchin'
his old nag 't the side o' the road. Yit,
sir, I bleeve he's a-cummin. Shoopegg,
you'd better be gittin'aout o' this," and he
commenced to drop bap hazzard from his
iofty perch. In a moment, however, he
seemed to change his mind, and paused,
once more upon the watch. "Say, fellers,"
he again broke in as we were preparing for
a retreat, "he's gone off to 'rd the cedars ;
he ain't cummin' this way at alV So be
again ascended into the tree-top, and fin
ished his shaking in peace, and we our
picking a bo. There was still another tree,
with elegant large nuts, that we had ail
concluded to "finish up on." It would not
do to leave it. They were the largest and
thinnest shelled nuts in town, sad there
were over a bushel in sh,bt on the branch
tips. Shoopegg was up among them in
two minutes, and they were showered down
in torrents as before And what splendid
perfect nuts they were! We bagged them
with eager bands, picked the ground all
clean, and with jolly chuckles at our luck
were just about thinking of starting for
home with our well-rounded sacks, when a
change came o'er the spirit of our dreams.
There was a auspicious ncise in the shrub
bery near by, and in a moment more we
heard our doom.
"Jest yeu look eeah. yeu boys, "exclaim
ed a high-pitched voice from the neighbor
ing shrubbay, accompanied by the form
of Deacon 1 urner, approaching at a bnsK
pace, hardly thirty feet away. "Don t
yeu think yeu've got jest about enuffo"
them nuts!"
Of course a wild pauic ensued, in which
we made for the bags and dear life, but
Turner was prepared and ready for the
emergency, and raising a huge old shot-gun,
he levelled it, and yelled, "Don't any on
ye stir ner move, or by Christopher i u
blow the heads clean oQ'n the bull pile on
ye. i d shoot ye quicker n nguinin.
And we believed him, for bis aim was
true, and his whole expression was not that
ot a man who was trifling. 1 never shall
forget the uncomfortable sensation that 1
experienced as I looked into the muzzle ot
that doubled-barrelled shotgun, and saw both
hammers fully raised too. And I can see
now the squint and the glaring eye mat
glanced along those barrels. There was a
wonderful persuasive power lurking in
those horizontal tubes; so I hastened to in
form the deacon that we were "not going
to run."
"Wa'al," he drawled, "it looked a le?tle
that wan. I thort. a spell ago:" and he
still kept us in the field of his weapon, till
at length I exclauned, in desperatixi
"Point that gun in some other way. will
you!"
"Wa'al, no .' I'm not fer pintin it enny
wbar else jest yit not until you've sot
them ar bag a daown agin, jist whar ye&ro
'em, every vne on ye." The bags were
speedily replaced, and he slowly lowered
his gun.
"Wa'al, naow,"he continued, as he came
up in our midst, "this is putty bizniss,ain't
it t Bin bavin' a putty lively sort o' time
teu, 1 sh'd jedge from the looks o' these
'ere bags. One two tit on 'em; an' I
vaow they must be nigh on teu two an' a
half bushel in every one on 'em. Wa'al,
naow" with his peculiar drawl "look
eeah: you're a putty oudustrious lot o
thieve. I'm blet if ye ain't." But the
deacon did all the talking, for his man-
muvres were such as to render us speechless.
"Putty likely place ten cum "a-nuttin',
arn'i it?"
The LakeofOaUlee.
It is sometime. Mid that the Lake of
Galilee is very like Windermere. 1 think
that the comparison must have originated
with some traveler who holds the opinion
of a friend of mine, that all hike, are alike.
To any one who has discovered the differ
ences between one lake and another differ
ences at least as great as those between one
mountain and another, and almost as great
as those between one book, or one man and
another the comparison could never bave
occurred. Of course, if any one thinks
that Loch Lomond is at all like Derwent-
water. or Orasmere like Wastwater, be
may also think that the Lake of Galilee is
like Windermere. I know Windermere
pretty welL I have seen it everv month of
the vear except one. and nanny anow m
which month it is most beautiful; I bave
seen it in most of its moods as well as in
most of it. tenses in storm and in sun
shine; with snow on the surrounding
hills; with the fresh bright green June on
the meadows; with the splendid heights
about the bead of law lake covered with
the rich browns and the gold and the amber
of November, as with the robe of a king ;
I have seen it lying pale and white in the
light of the early morning, and looking
ancrv and sullen under gathering clouds.
The Lake of Galilee is no more bke Win
dermere than Monmouth Is like Macedon.
Both of the lakes are long sheets of iresh
water lving among hills, but there the like
ness ends. The form of the Lse ol Uaii-
lee is familiar. Its eastern shore is border
ed by a long line of steep hills, having
level ridge. My hrst impression was mat
with the exception of a thin covering ot
grass which was t jo thin and too patchy to
cover the rocks, these hills were bare; but
on looking more carefully 1 could see a lew
bushes of trees. The sides are broken
with occasional ravines, and down these
ravines I noticed .trips of more vivid green,
indicating the presence of mountain
streams.
On the northeast the bill, are not so
steep ; they slope np to high plain. cover
ed with forests of oak; and beyond these
is a range of loftier mountains. Far away
in the north, llermon rises grandly with its
perpetual mows. The hills on the western
side are much less steep than those on the
eastern side. They are covered with grass
to their very summits, which rise about
1,200 feet, or perhaps more, above the
lake. The water is said to be full of fish,
but there are only two rickety boats to be
seen. They were so old and battered that
they looked as if they might have been the
very boats which Peter left on the shore
when he gave up fishing at the call of his
Master. The Lake seemed to ma to have
more of the awe of Christ's presence about
it than almost any of the sacied siles that
we have seen. The very desolation deep
ened the solemnity, and left the mind more
completely alone with Him. 1 remember
oue curious illustration of the power which
its sacred memories had over me. My
revolver bad been loaded some days, per
haps some weeks before, and one or two of
the chambers still bad cartridges in them.
I wanted to discharge them, and I could
have fired over the lake without the chance
of hurting anybody; but when I took the
pistol in my band I felt that to make a
ude noise on those snores and among those
hills would be as great an act of Irrever
ence as to make a rude noise in a church.
In the time ot our Lord the shores of the
lake now so lonely, were densely populat
ed. It was in the cities, towns and villages
which then surrounded these inland waters,
that most of His mighty works were done.
The only city which, so far as the Gospels
inform us, our Lord never entered, still
stands. Tiberias was founded by Herod
Ant i pas when our Lord was still a youth in
Nazareth, and there are many remains of
its ancient magnificence. But it walls and
towers are miserably dilapidated and the
site which they enclose is much larger than
the present population can cover. The
mean little town it contain, about two
thousand inhabitants looks like a shrivel
led kernel lying in a broken ahelL The
only brightness and relief come from the
trees which rise here and there among the
houses.
One Way.
How would 1 go to work to keep my
children from reading sensational books?
The best way to answ-ir this question is by
telling you what I bavo done. The other
evening, coming into the sitting room, I saw
James reading a dime noveL At least I
thought it looked like a dime noveL Moth
er had her sewiug, Jennie was working on
an afghan. Tommy was making a set of
jaekstrawa out of piece of red cedar.
"Let's bave some reading aloud," said L
"James you seem to have got hold of an in
teresting book, there ; suppose you read it
alojd to us." James looked up with a flush
on his face.
T don't believe you would care for this,"
said be. "It isn't much of a book."
"You're mighty interested in it," said
Tommy, "for a book that isn't much of a
book.
"Yes! come," sr id Jennie, "let's have
some reading aloud. Why not James!"
"Mother wouldn't like this book," said
be.
"Why not!" said mother.
"Oil, you wouldn't, that's all," a'd
James. "It's just stuff."
"if it isn't worth reading aloud it isn't
worth reading at all," said Jennie.
"That does not follow," said L "by any
means. 1 here are a good many Donas
worth reading that are not worth reading
aloud. But if James is too much interested
in lus story to put it aside, the rest of us
will form a reading circle and get some
thing that is worth reading aloud."
"Oh. 1 don't care anything about it," said
James, "I was just reading to get through
the evening. If yoa have got anything
better on hand let's by all means have it."
With that he laid the book by with a shove
that sent it half-way across the table.
"What shall it be?" said L
"How would it do to begin a course of
history! There's our 'Hume in the book
case. I don't believe that any one of us
ever read it through. How would that
doi"
I though to myself that probably none
ot us ever would read it through, but I did
not say anything. I waited for some one
else to respond.
"I've got a jolly b:ok up stairs," said
Tommv.
"What is it?" I asked.
"David Crockett," said Tommy. "I will
go and get it." With that, and before any
of us could decide whether we wanted it or
not. Tummy was off up stairs. He is as
quick as a flash in everything. It proved to
be one of Mr. John S. C. Abbot's Pioneer
and Patriot series.
What is there iolly about it t" said I to
Tommy, when he had produced it.
Why H i full of adventure about a tei-
low that lived in a wilderness when the
country was new, and even Ohio was as
wild as an Indian what do you call it?
"Ksorvaiion," said Jennie.
"Yes, reservation," said Tommy.
"What do you say, James, "said I ; "will
you read aloud for us while I go to work
on the shoe box 1 am making for mother?"
James said he would, and we then and
there inaugurated a readiug circle. We
have kept it up, so far, all winter, James
and I taking turns in reading aloud, and
the rest going on with their work. Tommy
Is quite expert with his knife, and be has
begged off from the reading to go on with
his carpentry. We follow "David Crock
ett with Darnel Uoone. and then tooc
up Mrs. Brassey'. "Voyage Bound the
World in the Yacht Sunbeam." We are
reading that with an atlas, and look up the
places in the atlas and Jennie sometimes
looks them up further in me cyclopedia,
and tells us more about tlieui at the next
reading.
And I haven t seen anything more oi
James's dime nveL My way to keep our
boys from the bad literaure is to overcome
evil with good.
How can 1 find the time? Well, 1 believe
that he that does not provide for his own
family is worst than an infidel. And
think that it is part ot my duty to provide
my children with good books ana gooa
eomnanv in reading them. And I will not
take so much work on my bands that i caa
not do something for my own children.
"Our Cravat.
Rev. Dr. Wilson, in speaking of himself.
in the pulpit, he always used the pIuraL
H a use of it on one occasion, was aiarm
ludicrous. There was no air, and the doc
tor r emed scarcely able to get his breath.
At intervals, he would twitch, wun nerv
ous excitement, at the huge white cravat
with which it was the fashion at that time
to encase the throat, but in vain; be could
get no relief, At length he stopped at the
end of a sentence, and in his quiet, low-
toned. manner said: "The congregation
will nlease excise u for a few minutes.
Our wife has tied our cravat too tight
this morning." So saying, he de
scended from his seat, and with a quiet
composure which seemed almost to divest
the transaction of lis menu est ukubtu
ty, withdrew to a little room adjoining where
he had the troublesome article adjusted to
bis satisfaction.
- J
Sold la Musical Iuatraoaeata.
The nse of gold in the construction of
musical instruments, never yet thoroughly
investigated, offers an interesting field for
experiment. Four metals are distinguished
as being capable of being hardened to spring
temper, ami in that state possess more or
less power of vibration. Steel hardened by
tempering is used for pianoforte strings.
Brass is hardened by drawing down or flat
tening, but the elasticity is not equal to
fteeL Nickel can also be drawn or flat
tened, and possesses great springiness but no
metal, either in a pure state or mixed with
other metal, equals gold, if combined with
copper, silver, or both, for ductility or of
power of vibrat'on. A spiral spring made
of fifteen-carat gold that is, fifteen pam
of fine gold to nine parts of copper drawn
into a wire possesses more springiness.
Many years ago 1 superintended the manu
facture of some gold wire on this principle,
as a string upon an ordinary pianoforte,
and the results were marked. Not only
was the tone considerably increased but its
quality materially improved. With the
thinner and shorter strings this was so no
ticeable that it is surprising the idea should,
not have suggested itself to others. Fifteen-carat
were drawn down at least six
holes after softening answers best. 1 nave
also suggested the use of gold for the vi
brating tongue of the harmonium, concer
tina and other instruments of the kind.
Some time ago 1 asked an amateur zithern
player to try the effects of gold wire upon
h.n instrument and he has since assured me
the increase in tone is so remarkable that
be has substituted it for the steel springs
with complete success. I think the idea
one that merits further inquiry. The ex
pense (if advantages are to be gained)
should not deter those most interested in
the matter. The harmonium tongues are
made so thin that little extra outlay would
be required, and with small kiss, seeing
that the old gold can be remelted. Let
aiiy one take a disk of steel the size and
thickness of a sovereign, throw it upon a
wooden table so as to make It ring, then
take a sovereign and beat it in the same
way. The first will have a dull sound, as
if the metal were cracked, and the second
a bright metallic bell-ring. A still better
test is to throw a piece of steel baud on the
floor, listen to the vibrations, then do the
same with a strip of gold of the same size
and density. Gold has been used for the
strings of the vi(ginaL with what effect I
cannot say; everything depends on the
gold being alloyed and hardened by
drawing down to the desired condition, in
which it will stand nearly the same as
steeL
The Home of Walter Scott.
The Rhymer's Tower still partly hangs
together, and the recent verification ot one
of his best known predictions, partly per
haps by virtue of the prediction itself, has
furbished up the fame of the ancient wizard
pacing well, at least in the minds jf the
natives. But over all this beautiful border
land, rich just now with the golden hues
of autumn, deepening here into brown and
brightening there into red, hangs the
glamour of a far greater magician than
Thomas the Bhynier, or that other warlock
whose Eiave is in Melrose Abbey. AU is
instinctively felt to have been made his
own lor ever and aye by 'Sir Walter."
At every turn rise fresh evidences of his
kindly presence, of the power of genius to
immortalize alike a moss-grown ruin or a
babbling brook. From Ashiestiel, where
the poet, happy and successful wrote "The
Lay of the Last Minstrel," "Marmion,"
and "The Lady of the Lake," to Abbots
ford where he wore out his life to pay a
bookseller's debts, every ripple of Tweed's
brown waters speaks eloquently of him.
By many people, and assuredly by the
present writer, Ashiestiel would be greatly
preferred as a locality to Abbotstord. l lie
houe stands high above the river, sheltered,
but not smothered by trees, and is a de
lightfully cheery, inspiriting, breezy-look
ing dwelling, amid the very best scenery
on the I weed, from UryDurgn Auney,
as delightfully and pictures" mely as Mel
rose is awkwardly situated, the drive by
Bemerside is charming in the extreme; but
Abbotsford itself at once strikes the unpre
judiced observer as a prosy-looking place
for a poet to dwell in. It lies lo v, is
buried in trees, and seems to lack altogeth
er the inspiriting air of AshiestieL There
is a depressing tone about the place, despite
the presence of one of the most popular
households (Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell-Scott)
on the border. '1 he clean-shaven lawn is
the paradise of lawntennisonians, for there
is ample space for playing three games at
once, and the chatelaine, the great-grand
daughter of the poet, is true to the hospita
ble traditions of her family and country.
Equal liberality is displayed with the show
part of the house, through which, dunng
the summer months, pours a torrent of
tourists, who have a special entrance re
served for them. Everybody looks at the
extraordinary collection of arms and relics
made by the W izard of the rtorlh, the
swords of Montrose and the young Pre
tender, Hofer's rifle, Bob Roy's long, un-
wieldly gun. Napoleon's pen. and so forth;
but the real interest of Abbottsford centres
in the writing desk at which Sir Walter
passed so many weary uphill hours, and
the heavy leathern chair in which he sat.
The Bone In England.
The Egyptians mummied all sorts of
sacred brutes, including bulls, cats anJ
crocodiles. If Englishmen should ever
take to embalming beasts, I am sure that,
notwithstanding the national name and the
place which roast beef holds in English
song and story, they would pas by the
bull and svalhe defunct horses in musun
and spices. For If the horse be not a god
in England at least the cult of the horse is
a sort of religion. There are tens of thou
sands of English gentlemen who have horse
on their minds dunng the greater part ol
their waking hours. The condition of the
animals, their grooming, the cut of their
tails and manes, the way in wmcn mey
stand, or step, or stride; the fashion of
their harness; the build, the look, the dress
of coachman and groom these are matters
to them of deep concern of uneasy anxiety.
And this is so, not once a year, or once a
year, or once a quarter, or once a momu,
but every day and two and three limes a
day; every time, indeed, that they ride or
drive. Nor do 1 mean ouiy tnose wno are
called "horsey" men, gentlemen drivers of
mad coaches and the like, who are grooms
in everything except taking wages, and
some of whom, 1 am told, will carry their
coachmanship so far as to take a "tip."
Apart from these, there is a very large
class to whom the perfection in the j
minutest point of their equestrian "turn-
eat" is a question ol the major morals.
When one ot this class feels sure that his
horse, bis "trap," and his groom will bear
the criticism of his friends and rivals, tlie
ineffable air of solemn self -sufficiency with
which he sits the saddle or the box, is at
once amusing and pitiable. These men
criticise each other's equipages as women
criticise each other's dress, a. pedants
criticise cacu uiua a suiviaisuiu. iuw
. ... . i .
Iin aaigianu mere is a peuantry oi tue - dresses ana ovei ,uw were not au
stable. dressed at all.
NEWS IN BRIEF.
The actual diocese of London con
tain. 2,500,000 of people.
The sugar crop of Cuba will be
per cent, less than last year.
Snow fell at Mt. Washington, Yt. ,
on the morning of September 21.
A horse shoe manufacturer is mak
ing a horse shoe of iron and hemp.
There are 200 miles of oyster bed
on trie gulf coast of the Mississippi.
-Virginia has raised 1,550,000 bushels
of peanuts this year and Tennessee
550,000.
The bell or the Congregational
Church at Newton, Ct., has been used
112 years.
In 1S73 the tax on armorial bear
ings In England and Scod tud pro
duced $110,000.
The citizens of Lebanon, Tenn.,
have subscribed $30,000 toward the
piyment of the State debt.
The French sea fisheries were more
successful List year than the year be
fore, to the extent of $'.:! 1,625.
It Is estimated that seventy year
and $1,000,000 will be requireJ to com
plete the excavations at Pompeii.
A company with $100,000 capital
has been organized to oen a swim
ming school in Boston next April.
A white oak tree in Washington
county, Pa., when sawed produced on
thousand and eighty feet of lumber,
There are more than 10,000,000 car
wheels in use la the United States. The
average life of a wheel is eijj it years.
Pius IX. prescribed iu his will his
burial place and that more thin $I4)
should be expended on the monument
above it.
A new university lias been founded
ia Liverpool. England. Subscriptions
to the amount ot $140,000 bave been
received.
Three hundred and two thousand
seven hundred and thirty-nine per
sons visited the Pittsburg Exposition
this year.
The gold yield in New South Walea
in 1873 was not one-tenth of that ft
tweuty years ago. The yield of coal
increases.
An International S-initary Con
gress will he held at Washington in
January, 1$1, under the auspices of
Government.
Two an la halt million of tropical
oranges were received in the past six
months at San Francisco from the
French Islands of Tahiti.
An estate in Australia which for
merly suppoitel 3',00t sheep, has
been abandoned ou account ot the
devastation caused by the rabbiu.
The Massachusetts Historical Soci
ety has given $100 toward the erection
of a mouument in London over the un
marked grave of Sir Walter K-tleigh.
Jerusalem existed 700 years befere
Rome was foumied, m yea s before
the siege of Troy, and 500 years before
the hanging; gardens of Babylon were
built.
The value of th" textile products
produced in the L'nlled Kingdom I
$775,000,000; United States, 4'20 OUO.OCO;
France. $310,000,000, and Germany,
$240,000,000.
The Baroness Burdett Coutts sis
ter, Mrs. Clara Miria Money's son,
have been allowed to use the surname
Coutts In adilitlo'i to ami after Money
and to bear the arms of C'ontw.
Two American army olricers. Lieu
tenants Birnie and B'.xby, bave re
ceived the Cross of the Legion of Honor
at Paris, for assisting, at the recent
manoeuver of the French army.
There are now over 170,000 sheep
in Laramie county, Wyoming, which
is an increase or i per cent over last
year. The clip of woo) in that county
for 1330 amounted 900,000 pounds.
Professor Watson, the astronomer,
is erecting an observatory, to cost $:hjo,
at hi. own -xpenfe, at Madison, Wis.
He proposes to search particularly for
the inuer-Mercurial planet Vulctn.
John Wannamaker. the rich mer
chant of Philadelphia, Pa., is the super
intendent of the largest Presbyterian
Sunday-school in tue United S ates,
containing more than 20,000 children .
The Marquis of Salisbury's brother
Lord A. Cecil, has been appointed Locc
motive Superintendent of the GreaS
Eastern R ill way. He has been in the
engineering department of the Great
Eastern Kill way for some years.
The censumptlon ot cotton has in
creased in the South from 129.1S9 bales
in lS7ti to 221,337 bales in 1W0. Tha
capital invented in cotton manufactures
in the South recievjs larger proflta
than In the same line in the North.
Mr. Simon Cameron, who is
Presbyterian, has presented to a Lu
therau congregation in Pennsylvania
a house and land for a parsonage, as a
memorial of his wife, Margaret Brua
Cameron, who was a devout Lutheran.
On Michaelmas day, Sept. 29, the
Count de Cuambord was tt J. It wu his
fiftieth birthday on foreign soil. Last
year 1,2' JO persons on his natal day
dined off dishes boaring legitimist
names. This year the celebration was
more quiet.
M. Lecard, who lias been explor
ing in Africa, his discovered on the
banks of the Niger a plant which bears
grapes, which he proposes to send to
France to take the place of the vines
which are being devastated by the
phylloxera.
A carrier pigeon belonging to Joliu
C. Haines, of Tom's River, N. J flew
recently the distance of 36 miles in an
air line in twenty-four minutes. Teu
other pigeous released at the same mo
ment reached home a minute later thau
their leader.
Sir Henry Bessemer has t.-keuout
no less than 114 patents. The freedom
of the City ol London has just beeu
couferred upon him. Before his steel
process was introduced Into Sheffield,
the entire mke of steel was tl,0t0un
a year; now it is bju.ucu tons.
Great Britain and France consume
each about the same quantity
ot wool 330,000,000 pounds a year.
Germany consumes about lti,000,000
pounds; United State-, i.')0,000,000
pounds, and K'is-ia, Austria and other
countries, 4' (0,000,000 pounds.
The wool-clip of the world has in
creased five times since 1330, when It
was about 320,000.000 pounds in weight.
In 1873, the latest year for which there
are complete figures, Europe produced
740,000.000; River Platte, 240,000,00;
United States, 208,000,000; Australia,
350,000,000, and South Atrlea, 48,000,
000. making a total r l,536,000,Uo0
pound-1.
There were sent to the dead-letter
office at Washington, during the fiscal
year ended June 30th, 3.353,651 letters
i and packages, of which in round num
! bers 2.700,000 were sent from local
- ..i . i. i ......)..; I .luji
ooo were held tor postage, 215,000 were
, misdirected, oo.wo uurc stuuvus
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to help ma out.
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